johnson



(No Model.)

Patented Aug. 23, I898. T. 0. JOHNSON.

BOX MAGAZINE LEVER GUN.

(Application filed Kay 27, 1898.)

4 Sheets$heet l.

Tu: "cams vzrzns w. PHoTo-Lrma. WASHINGTON, n. c

'r. c. JOHNSON.

BOX MAGAZINE LEVER GUN.

Patented Aug. 23, I898.

(Application filed M11127, 1896.)

4 sheets sheet 2.

(No Model.)

No. 609,678. Patented Aug. 23, I898.

T. G. JOHNSON.

BOX MAGAZINE LEVER GUN.

(Application filed May 27, 1896.)

m: NORRIS Perms 0a.. mornumo.v WASHINGTOIL n. c,

No. 609,678. Patented Aug. 23, I898.

T. C. JOHNSON.

BOX MAGAZINE LEVER GUN.

(Application filed May 27, 1896.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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NiTEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS C. JOHNSON, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE \VINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

BOX-MAGAZINE LEVER-GUN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 609,678, dated August 23, 1898. Application filed May 27, 1896. Serial No. 593,246. on. model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS C. JOHNSON, of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Breech-Loading Box-Magazine Lever-Guns and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in

Figure 1, a broken view, in side elevation, of a gun constructed in accordance with my invention, the cover being shown in its closed position by full lines and in its charging position by broken lines; Fig. 2, a broken view of the gun, in vertical longitudinal section, showing the gun open; Fig. 3, aview in vertical transverse section on the line a b of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a detached View, in side elevation, of the box-magazine; Fig. 5, aplan View thereof; Fig. 6, a detached View, in side elevation, of the box-magazine cover; 7, a plan view thereof; Fig. 8, a detached View, in side elevation, of the carrier; Fig. 9, a View of such a blank as the box-magazine may be formed from, said blank being shown before being subjected to any bending operations.

My invention relates to an improvement in breech-loading box-magazine firearms of the type employing a lever for the operation of the action mechanism, the object being to produce a comparatively simple, durable, reliable, and convenient arm constructed with particular reference to providing for charging the box-magazine from the bottom thereof when the gun is closed.

With these ends in view my invention consists in a breech-loading box-magazine levergun provided with a pivotal cover located forward of the lever and normally closing the open bottom of the magazine, which is formed with an open bottom and with an open top for loading and feeding, respectively.

My invention further consists in a sheetmetal box-magazine closed at its rear end and formed with an open bottom and top for loading and feeding, respectively.

My invention further consists in certain details of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In carrying out my invention, as herein shown, I employ a long narrow cover A, pivotally mounted at its forward end upon a tranverse spring-pin A or any equivalent therefor. Toward but forward of its rear end the said cover 01' plate is provided with two corresponding laterally projecting finger pieces A A while its extreme rear end is formed with an upturned locking-hook A This cover normally closes the open bottom of the box-magazine, which, as herein shown, consists of a sheet-metal body portion B and a shoe B, the said magazine being formed independently of the gun-frame H and permanently located therein, so as to extend below the same. The said magazine is formed with its bottom open to permit it to be loaded or charged through its bottom, as will be hereinafter explained. It is also formed with its top open to permit the cartridges to be fed upward out of it, and also to permit it to be loaded through its open top, if desired. The rear end of the said magazine is closed, while the forward end of its body portion is made open, but virtually closed by the shoe B, to which the forward ends of its side walls are secured. The gun is also provided with an operating or finger lever C, having its upper portion bifurcated to form two corresponding arms 0 C, the extreme upper ends of which are connected by means of a transverse pin D with the forward end of the breech-bolt D, which is moved back and forth in a line parallel with the longitudinal axis of the gun-barrel and which may be of any approved construction as to its details. When the said lever is in its closed position, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, it is en* tirely cleared from the rear end of the pivotal cover A; but when the lever is in its open position, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the lower rear portion of the box-magazine and the rear end of the cover are embraced by the lower portions of the arms C of the lever, which prevents the cover from being opened, except when the lever is in its fullyclosed position. The object of locating the finger-pieces A A of the cover at a point forward of the rear end thereof is to situate them so that the finger-lever will clear them when it is being swung into its open and closed positions. For the reception of the said finger-pieces of the cover when the same is in its closed position the lower edges of the side walls of the box-magazine are cut to form two clearance-notches 15 B which are located opposite each other.

\Vhen the lever is in its closed position, the cover A may be engaged by its finger-pieces A A and swung downward and forward, after which the box-magazine maybe charged through its bottom with very great convenience, notwithstanding the fact that the gun is in other respects closed, the lever being out of the way and the breech-bolt being over the open top of the magazine. It is unnecessary to point out that it is much more convenient to charge a box-magazine through its bottom than through its top. Moreover, it is more convenient to handle the gun for charging the magazine when its lever and breech-block are in their closed rather than in their open positions, for the gun may be turned upside down and the cartridges rolled in out of the palm of the hand very rapidly.

As herein shown, the body portion B of the magazine is formed from a single piece of sheet metal, (from such a blank as is represented in Fig. 9,) the said body portion being constructed and arranged so that the magazine iS U-shaped in horizontal section rather than in vertical section, as some sheet-metal magazines have heretofore been made.

The shoe 1 to which the body portion of the magazine is attached, may be of any approved construction. A vertically-arranged guiding-block B located within the shoe and within the forward ends of the body portion of the magazine, is constructed with an incline B providing forlifting the forward ends of the cartridges out of the forward end of the magazine and into position to be introduced into the chamber E of the gun-barrel E. The magazine is provided at its rear end with two oppositely-located corresponding combined guide and stop plates B which are sprung apart for the feeding of the cartridges by means of a vertically-movable spreadingblock F, connected by means of a horizontal shaft F with the vertically-movable recoilblock F which is lifted behind the rear end of the breech-bolt D for locking the same in its closed position and forming the recoilblock of the gun. As herein shown, the said block is raised and lowered by means of a hook G, formed at the forward end of a link G, which connects the operating or finger lever O with the gun-frame II. The hooked forward end of the link G extends between the lower ends of the arms C of the said lever and receives a pivot G while the rear end of the link is connected with the gun-frame by means of a pivot G The particular construction of the recoil-block and link may, however, be varied as desired.

For the purpose of providing guideways for the base-flanges of the heads of the cartridge I form within the closed rear end of the body portion of the magazine two oppositely-located shallow vertical grooves or ways a a, which prevent the cartridges from being displaced endwise in the magazine, the cartridges issuing from the upper ends of these grooves into the space between the plates B which thereafter control the rear ends of the cartridges until the same are pushed forward by the ac tion of the breech-bolt.

By forming the magazine as described I effect an economy of labor and material and secure a magazine of superior lightness and rigidity, for the article is very easy to form, permits light sheet metal to be used,and gains in rigidity by having its rear end made integral instead of separate and attached, as must be done when the metal is folded so as to leave the rear end of the magazine open.

As herein shown, the magazine is also provided with spring stop-fingers I I, which assist in controlling the forward ends of the cartridges as they are fed. These fingers, which may be of any approved construction, form no part of my present invention.

A carrier J, located within the magazine, lifting the cartridges therein, is pivoted in an upwardly-opening longitudinal slot A formed in the upper face of the coverA upon a horizontal pivot J. This carrier, as well as the cover, is engaged and controlled by means of a spring K.

I have yet to explain the function of the locking-hook A formed at the rear end of the cover A. This hook is provided for locking the cover in its closed position and against being forced open by downward pressure exerted upon it through the medium of the cartridges in the box-magazine caused by downward pressure imposed upon them in any manner whatsoever through the open top of the magazine. Thus if the cartridges should be pressed downward through the open top of the magazine by a person ignorant of the proper handling of the gun the lowermost cartridge will be forced rearwardly against the said hook and tilted and bound or cramped between the said hook and the forward walls of the lower ends of the verticallyarranged grooves or guideways a a before mentioned. The cartridge when bound or cramped as set forth gets such a grip upon the hook, and hence upon the cover, as to firmly hold the same in its closed position. Incidentally the cartridges are thus prevented from being expelled from the magazine.

In order to prevent the cartridges from foulingin the magazine, I provide means for moving and holding the uppermost cartridge sufficiently forward to engage the front end of its bullet with the incline provided for lifting the bullet end of the cartridge into position to be pushed forward into the chamber E in the gun-barrelE. The described forward and holding movement of the cartridge prevents the base-flange of its head from any possibility of getting behind the base-flange of the cartridge next below it. As herein shown, provision for effecting the forward movement of the cartridge is made by constructing the upper end of the spreading-block F with a forwardly-projecting nose f, having its lower face beveled. The rim or base flange or head end of the uppermost cartridge is impinged by the upward thrust given to the carrier by the carrier-spring against the said beveled face, which then causes the said uppermost cartridge to be shoved forward until its said end has been cleared from the lower face of the said nose, after which the cartridge is lifted directly in front of the nose, which then holds it in a position forward of its fellows, with the front end of its bullet engaged with the incline B as shown in Fig. 2, whereby the base-flange of the cartridge is prevented from being caught back of the base-flange of the cartridge below, and whereby the said uppermost cartridge is prevented from being pushed downward at its forward end, for the said nose holds the cartridge forward after it has been pushed forward, as described, and prevents it from being moved longitudinally backward. W hen, therefore, the uppermost cartridge has thus been moved forward and the end of its bullet thus engaged with the lifting-incline, it cannot be displaced, so as to foul and refuse to feed. I may remark that the spreading-block F,upon which the said nosef is formed, is lifted just as the operating or finger lever C is going into its fullyciosed position, and that as it is thus lifted it spreads the plates B B apart to permit the uppermost cartridge to rise into position for being fed forward; but the plates are not sufficiently spread apart to permit the cartridge to rise between them until after the spreading-block is practically at the limit of its upward movement. The block is therefore at rest or nearly at rest before the uppermost cartridge is shoved against the beveled lower face of its nose. The forward projection of the nose may be varied as found best; but I shall in practice probably make it somewhat longer than as shown.

It is apparent that in carrying out my invention some changes from the construction herein shown and described may be made, and I would therefore have it understood that I do not limit myself to the form shown, but hold myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a firearm having a box-magazine open bottom of the said box-magazine, and formed at its rear end with a cartridge-retaining hook.

2. A box-magazine comprising a body portion made from a single piece of sheet metal bent to be U-shaped in horizontal section and so that its fold or bend will form a closed rear end for it, open at its top and bottom, and having grooves formed in its closed rear end for the reception of the rims of the cartridges, and a shoe to which the forward ends of the said body portion of the magazine are permanently secured, and by which its forward end is closed.

3. A box-magazine comprising a body portion made from a single piece of sheet metal bent to be U-shaped in horizontal section, and so that its bend or fold will form a closed rear end for it, and open at its top and bottom, a shoe closing the open forward end of the said body portion, the ends of which are rigidly secured to it, and combined guide and stop plates located opposite each other at the rear end of the body portion of the magazine to which they are permanently secured.

4. A sheet-metal box-magazine having its body portion made from a single piece of sheet metal bent to be U -shaped in horizontal section, having its bottom and top open, havingits rear end closed,and formed with two oppositely-located, vertically-arranged grooves made in the inner faces of the rear ends of its side walls to receive the rims of the cartridges.

5. In a breech-loading, box-magazine firearm, the combination with the box-magazine thereof, of an incline for engagement by the front ends of the bullets of the cartridges for lifting the cartridges into line with the chamber of the gun-barrel, a vertically-movable recoilblock, a spreading-block connected with the said recoil-block movable therewith and provided with an inwardly-projecting nose which is located within the boX- magazine, and means for feeding the cartridges upward in the boX-magazine,whereby the rear end of the uppermost cartridge is engaged with the said nose and caused to be moved forward so that the front end of its bullet will be engaged with the said incline.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS C. JOHNSON. Witnesses:

DANIEL H. VEADER, W. S. BALDWIN. 

